Charles Burton

During the 2000 presidential election, Burton, a Democrat, initially opposed a hand recount of the ballots, but he was outvoted. Once the recount began, however, he threw himself into the task with gusto, and his friendly, hands-on attitude was a sharp contrast to the partisan Carol Roberts and the reclusive Theresa Le Pore, his colleagues on the canvassing board.

With the recount deadline approaching on November 26, Judge Burton requested an extension from FloridaSecretary of StateKatherine Harris. Harris refused to grant an extension and refused to accept the recount results from the county, despite the fact that they were completed only two hours after the deadline. Burton called it "a slap in the face".